Soar Flies High With Bailey Link

News release
April 4, 2005

Soar flies high with Bailey link

Consolidation in the New Zealand printing industry continues with the news that Soar Printing has acquired Bailey Printing for an undisclosed sum.

According to Auckland-based Soar, the acquisition adds 30 per cent to the company's turnover and staff numbers.

Bailey Printing is based in Penrose (Auckland) and continues to trade under its own name with a full complement of 25 staff. The company was established 40 years ago by Terry Bailey who remains as managing director.

Soar Printing is a third generation family firm established in 1920 and has 75 staff. It has a reputation as being one of the country's most technologically-advanced printing businesses providing an end-to-end service.

All the same, managing director Fred Soar says the Bailey acquisition complements Soar's stable of digital, computer-to-plate and offset capabilities.

"It's business as usual for both companies," he says. "This move will help grow the group's business enabling us to take on jobs that we can't or don't want to handle at Soar because of workloads and for technical reasons.

"Conversely, Bailey Printing can now channel work our way, especially some of the digital jobs they have had to forego in the past," Mr Soar says.

"Both companies are efficient and successful at what they do and can now draw on the expertise of each other and that's why we have decided run both as stand-alone operations."

Terry Bailey has built Bailey Printing over 40 years and he remains as managing director to head the company in its current location.

Running A2 and A3 offset presses, Bailey can benefit from SOAR's Indigo and Computer to plate technology, Mr Soar says. Soar in turn has access to Bailey's facilities for overflow work and specialised UV printing.

"We've been steadily investing in new technology and business acquisitions for more than a decade now – we've acquired 10 businesses in the past 12 years.

"Plus we're running some pretty smart technology including an HP Indigo digital press and the latest range of Heidelbergs from four colour through six colour machines."

The purchase of Bailey Printing is effective from April 1, 2005.

Fred Soar is a former financial accountant who joined the family business in 1990.

About Soar Printing:

Soar Printing was established in 1920 by Fred Soar Snr – grandfather of the present managing director – on his return from the First World War. Fred Snr's son Harry continued in the business for nearly 40 years. Fred Soar Jnr joined Soar Printing in 1990 after five years working in consumer products and merchant banking.

ends

Issued for Soar Printing by Pead PR

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